Month: March 2021

Bob Ross Beats – the story of a jam session

I finally forked over some hard-earned cash and treated myself to the Novation SL MKIII, an incredible MIDI controller and sequencer. My studio now has two ‘sequencer brains’, the Model:Samples still reigns supreme in sequencer depth and complexity, but the SL MK3 fills in a lot of the remaining void, such as polyphonic sequencing. This… Continue reading Bob Ross Beats – the story of a jam session

TR-8S

Hi–welcome to the latest episode of GAS [Gear Acquisition Syndrome]! Wife is sick, kid is struggling, work is stressful, so . . . you’ve guessed it, yours truly is nerding out on the latest “Boop Box” that would totally take my music to the next level! Never mind that ever-present truth, the a voice of… Continue reading TR-8S

Throwing down the gauntlet

In response to “You’re Never Getting Your Minilogue Back”: Dearest Ethan, Sir, I accept your challenge. While you’ve basked in the analog glow of voltage controlled oscillators, I’ve increased my power as well. You dual wield two synths of incredible girth, and I’ve sought to increase my level control beyond your imagining. For you see,… Continue reading Throwing down the gauntlet

Dynamic, Grooving Atmospheric Pads

This is a chill, improvisational, synth-forward track. What struck me was the way it incorporates atmospheric pads, occasionally slightly distorted / overdriven (which I love), in a way that is extremely dynamic. They’ll soar briefly before falling back, and they bob and groove with the beat. It happens all over; it’s quite noticeable between 5:20… Continue reading Dynamic, Grooving Atmospheric Pads

You’re Not Getting Your Minilogue Back

Dear Stephen,I regret to inform you that you will not be getting your Minilogue XD back. Those dreamy, drifting VCOs have ruined me. Also, I am now dual-wielding Peak and XD, and have become more powerful than you can possibly imagine. My midi controller plays them both simultaneously as two layers. 12 stacked voices on… Continue reading You’re Not Getting Your Minilogue Back

Tempo-synced LFOs

Got some stuff I’m working on for an audio or video demo around creative ways of using tempo-synced LFOs. This is a wee draft placeholder, but wanted to share this brilliant use of synced LFOs by Rival Consoles. Right from 0:05, listen to how they rapidly adjust the rate of the LFOs. Each rate they… Continue reading Tempo-synced LFOs

Alternative Time Signatures – Beyond 4/4

I am a sucker for 6/8, 3/4, and, if I’m feeling adventurous, 5/4 (looking at you, Radiohead).Starting this post as a collection of inspiring work that uses other time signatures. 15 Step by Radiohead I like to think this song gets its name because that’s the length of the sequence on their drum machine, but… Continue reading Alternative Time Signatures – Beyond 4/4

Pulling timing info from Audio to MIDI

Can I pull MIDI timing from an audio recording?

Stephen: Rough AI transcription: Hey, man, I just had this idea and I figured reason might have this capability. So I kept getting it one of the challenges. I’m having with music production. I like you’ve heard in the pieces. I write on a piano that I tend to kind of change the tempo throughout… Continue reading Pulling timing info from Audio to MIDI

Strong Face lyrics v1

In a somewhat hip-hop style….some influence from Hamilton and Eminiem I wish I could see me like you see me I hope that you’re stronger than I’ll ever be Trauma is a beginning, it sets in, it festers, and it can grow Trauma will define you if you let it, you know I thought I… Continue reading Strong Face lyrics v1

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Categorized as Lyrics